


studying, with highlighters

by nereid



Series: Writer's Month August 2019 Prompt Challenge [8]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 18:08:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20262304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nereid/pseuds/nereid
Summary: Kira and Malia study. Highlighters ensue.For writer's month, prompt - colors.





	studying, with highlighters

Studying, Malia decides, is 90% about using enough different-colored highlighters. Kira tries to disagree, at least at first when Malia mentions it, laughs a bit, tongue-tied, coffee in hand, legs sprawled endlessly on the carpet, handwriting neat in her notes, unlike Malia's. Three days out of five, when they meet to study, Malia wants to start with discussing a new highlighting strategy, but Kira is a Kitsune, which is a way of saying she is a fox on the inside as much as she is a fox on the outside, so she can smell this for what it is - a distraction. Thoughtful one, but a distraction. She nods or pretends to agree or points to where they've left off in the History textbook, or sometimes even plays along. She is a fox. That means she knows a distraction, but also knows to distract when needed. She knows difficult and she thinks Malia is such a hero for even attempting to do this, it takes her breath away. So, she lets Malia. She lets her braid Kira's hair while reciting years, and lets them both sprawl on the carpet explaining the consequences of wars they had nothing to do with, which are all of them.

"I could never do this."

Kira is a fox, which means also being honest. Sometimes.

Malia is a coyote, which mostly, on good days, means she likes to run at night. (Do with that what you will.)

Means also she sometimes asks questions when she perhaps shouldn't.

"What?"

"Go back to school. Or go to school the first time -"

"- when everyone else seems like they're way ahead?"

A sigh. A fox and coyote sigh the same, slowly and with care.

"Think I shouldn't?" Malia asks, not a coyote.

"No, of course not."

Kira smiles, not a fox smile, something nicer.

Malia smiles back, limbs and hair everywhere.

"Maybe yellow highlighters for places, and orange for years, and..."

On, and on. Kira saying no, a calming presence, necessary, so ancient and young.

Malia smiling, warm, anxious, ancient and so young.

What a pair, a coyote with highlighters and a fox without, and a History exam in the near future.

Beacon Hills is not ready for such a pair.


End file.
